


Cassidy in the Sun

by cuemusic



Category: Preacher (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 16:59:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7765945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuemusic/pseuds/cuemusic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A breakdown of the Cassidy's thoughts as he nearly burns to death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cassidy in the Sun

“Or will you let _me_ burn too?”

Cassidy took deliberate breaths, eyeing his century old enemy one last time.

_Just do it Cassidy, you spineless coward._

His feet moved him forward with a pendulum’s sense of inevitability. _One step, two –_ ah, and that’ll do it. Three’s plenty. _Bit silly to count the steps of such a short journey, eh?_

As his skin crackled, boiled, and birthed a nursery of blisters – Cassidy supposed that the smell at least didn't necessarily have to be coming from him. White-yellow light assaulted and polluted the entirety of his vision – so it was quite possible that the smoke scraping at the insides of his nostrils and throat could be coming from something he wasn't presently able to see.

 _Aye, maybe there's a cook-out going on? Church folks like those sort of things – lovely way to start the week, I suppose. Jesus though – this bunch must prefer chewing to eating. Hope they know a meat smelling like that won’t be much tastier than leather out the bottom of a classy ashtray._ He thought about the pockets of fluid recently added to his and his skin’s family. _Cook-out might be nice for the kids – what you think? Shall we go?_

His lungs were full of spinning, smoldering smoke. _Bit difficult to breathe._ _Wonder if Jess’ll expect help cleaning up after? I don't mind doing it – but I might have to insist on waiting ‘til dusk. Really got to be careful, ‘round the sun an all. Especially while watching the little ones._

Squinting, Cassidy saw Jesse’s silhouette against the sky. _Ah, what am I thinking. ‘Course he won't mind. He's me best mate._

Small eruptions of fluid were taking place across the surface of his skin. His newborn blisters were already reaching puberty. _Moody, aye? My, my. Seems our wee ones set on growing up fast. Rebelling, all that._ His skin bled in maternal protest. _Aye now. Don’t weep, love. Time for the children to leave – got to start out a family of their own. Let us rest. It is the natural way of things._

He was sort of glistening at this point.

_We can rest soon._

The burn was reaching a new spectrum of intensity. His exposed sinew was dying. Cassidy’s heart ached at the impending loss.

_Oi, oi - don't go doing that! You stay with me, ya hear? Not supposed to ‘appen like this – you must stay, please – don't leave me. Don't go without me. Wait a while longer. I’ll hurry up, just wait…Please…_

But it was no use, it never was. Even a marriage to his skin – a sacred, inevitable union of flesh – would die before he would. _What an idiot._ _Alone. You. Are. Alone._

_"Make Love?" She’d laughed, meanly. “Oh – I didn't.”_

_Laughter like rain on an umbrella. Eyes sparkling – always. Never knew “dickwich” could sound so pretty. Never daydreamed about a flower before._

_“Oh – I didn’t.”_

Reality was beginning to dawn, as his strength was devoted to maintaining his breathing. No more skin, no more pretending. Here he was, exposed. And there _he_ was – fire extinguisher in hand – doing nothing. _Nothing_.

He dropped to his knees.

_Oh ho! Would you lookie here – falling prostrate in front of a bona fide servant of the Lord? What you think of that, aye Cass? Maybe you’ll be saved after all – you disgusting, pulsating, parasitic pustule._

Cassidy couldn't see anymore. The extinguisher had blurred into a red-tinted, all encompassing darkness. _Shite._ It would seem that The Great Giver of life in the sky, the center of humanity’s universe, the bloody slave driver of all the years he’d spent chained to Earth’s orbit – had gone and burned out his retinas.

 _The Eye of God._ That's what it was. Ever since his curse, God had been looking for him. Scanning every corner of Earth. All day, every day, for a hundred years – God sought to rid humanity of the likes of Cassidy. As far as he knew, God’s dedication to roasting him alive was the most consistent thing the ol’ feller ever did.

If sunlight could reach him, then God could see him. And if God could see him, God would make him burn. If Cassidy looked God in the eye, he was blinded for presuming he was worthy. As penance, Cassidy would have to debase himself...become a mindless beast thirsty for stolen life, forced to kill for the _privilege_ of “living” in the bloody shadows – all for God’s amusement… _sick bastard._

Cassidy couldn't feel much now. At some point, his torso had fallen forward, onto the ground. Jesse was saying something. Cassidy tried to smile.

_Sorry padre! Can't quite make your words out there – are you saying “Oi! Get off the bloody church grounds, you abomination! You lazy moron! You Goddamn loser!” Because ya know really, I'd love to mate – but I'm afraid I can't feel me legs at the moment –_

Something cold and soft was covering him. The flames were out, for whatever it mattered now. Cassidy felt himself being kicked back into the shadow of the church.

_The extinguisher…he used it after all. Hah…hah._

Shuffling steps cued Jesse’s exit, leaving Cassidy alone on the ground. _Aye…that's some good Christian charity there…hah, hah._

Cassidy had reached this point of dying before, and there was a memory in particular that seemed intent on seeing him off, each time he got close.

It's a trail…a little thin path, surrounded by the greenest grass imaginable. There are hills, and a wee fence, a pretty little well. The sky is vast and clear – the kind of blue you want to inhale.

In come two kids, brothers, racing home on bicycles…the old kind, a couple of classic High Nellys…the frames’ shadow keeps up with the boys. Wind and fresh air rush by…they could go on like this forever. Then the little one hits a rock, and goes flying off the trail, releasing a little cry as he does. The older one looks back, then yells out an old name in surprise as he tries to turn his own cycle around to help…but he turns too fast – ends up taking a right hard tumble himself. Little one sees, and now is yelling out for him, all anxious like. But barely a second passes ‘fore he sees his older brother pop up, and starts running his way – bloody knee and all. Brothers both pretty scuffed up, and each are preoccupied with the other’s wound.

Sitting there, the little one apologizes. For crashing, distracting his brother. The older brother looks at him like he's got dandelions growing out his ears – then bursts out laughing. The little brother looks anxiously at him, and asks what he's on about.

The older brother gathers himself, “How I ‘posed to act? You ‘pologized for me liking you as my brother. Why you think I like you? ‘Cause you're good at it. That's why I tumbled after you – you earned a brother who’ll tumble after you.”

The younger brother smiles, slightly, and sort of leans in to the others shirt. The older brother smiles too, tenderly, and wipes some dirt off the wee one’s forehead.

The older one yawns, stretching his arms as he does so. He leans back against the well. “Right, I figure we can sit ‘ere a while. With the sky like this, Mum’ll only worry if the sun’s half set.” The older brother closes his eyes. “Might nap a bit. Lovely day, eh?”

The little one is watching the sky, full of wonder. “Sure is.” He replies.

Up above, among the expanse of crystal clear blue, God’s Eye looks on, benevolently. Offering warmth, and light, and growth. The boy is content.

The memory ends, and Cassidy finally dips into unconsciousness. All of this was a lot of pain. What the hell took him so long? _Shite – would ya kill me already, you sodding sadist._


End file.
